The opinion expressed recently in the “State takeover needed” editorial, Wednesday, regarding the Michindoh aquifer is uninformed. The people in the aquifer area, who depend on the water to live, should decide how the water is used. The Michindoh aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for more than 300,000 people. There are no other viable alternatives such as large lakes or rivers to supply drinking water if the aquifer were contaminated or depleted.
The people would vote no to allowing a corporation to use pristine drinking water as a cheap industrial coolant. The people would not put their wells and the wells of the neighbors, many residing across the state line, at risk.
Whether it is AquaBounty, a large data center, or foreign semiconductor factory, the plan cannot be to pump millions of gallons of groundwater per day, use it to cool the facility and then dump it as waste. These facilities must be required to use alternative sources of water such as treated river water or reclaimed water from sewage plants instead of potable drinking water.
Water is our source of life, not an industrial input, and the people drinking from the Michindoh aquifer should drive the decision making, not the state.
LOU PENDLETON
Bryan
Beware, drivers, of joggers, bicyclists
People and drivers, please pay attention to your surroundings. The weather is getting nicer so more walkers, runners, bicyclists, joggers will be out and about. The half-second you are losing to go around them or to slow down may save you from hurting them or killing them. Pay attention!
DEBBIE HAAS
Perrysburg
Trump nicer to Putin than Netanyahu
While the White House projects the success of the much heralded Putin-Trump phone call, Russia continues to destroy Ukrainian infrastructure, and the Russian people obediently rejoice in the strength of their leader Vladimir Putin.
President Trump’s blind pursuit of his “peacemaker” legacy, is contradicted by his unwillingness to use the same coercive aggression on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he directed at President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.
With Trump involved in the negotiations, and Europe excluded, the people of Ukraine are doomed to suffer the same fate as the Afghans, thanks to his complete capitulation to the will of the Taliban in 2020.
If total peace is secured in Ukraine, it will just be a matter of time before Putin attempts to expand his Tzardom.
JOSEPH CAFFREY
Lambertville
Republicans ceding power to Trump
It is hard to believe that it has not even been 100 days since President Trump took office.
In that time, he has sowed continual chaos and confusion and sought the consolidation of his power.
Once again, he is attempting to shift massive amounts of wealth and services to the wealthy as he eliminates government programs and services for the nonrich.
He is especially targeting so-called entitlement programs.
They are called that because we are entitled to them because of the taxes that we pay.
They are not charity and are vital to maintaining the social safety net that benefits us all.
Congress is one of three co-equal branches of government.
President Trump is intent on destroying the judicial system and the Republican members of Congress are all too happy to cede their power to him to accomplish it.
It seems only fair to warn them that if they continue to act like lackeys, that will be their fate.
KIM POLLAUF
Toledo
Maumee keeps irritating reader
Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems that the charter of the Maumee City Council must be to irritate people.
Think about it.
First, there’s was the Conant Street traffic debacle.
Then, the entire water issue.
Now, it’s an issue with the walleye fishermen.
I particularly like that someone decided to “jump out of the cake” at the 11th hour and declare that camping at the Rec Center was “illegal” and wasn’t supported by the current zoning laws.
Now, I don’t recall ever hearing about problems occurring in the past at the Rec Center, so why not just let it be for the fishermen?
There is certainly ample time to change the laws before the next walleye season.
There is no law that says, “Do something stupid.”
This is simply another example of government bureaucracy not doing the “right thing.”
KEVIN SULLIVAN
Perrysburg
First Published March 25, 2025, 4:00 a.m.
